1 - IntroductionOpenbox and Compiz are just two of the more than 20 window managers (WM) for UNIX-like systems. Basically a WM manages the position and behaviour of your windows on the desktop.Openbox is lightweight WM and is used by default in LXDE.Compiz is an advanced WM which features a lot of useful functions and visual effects. Because it requires 3D acceleration it is enabled by default in a few GNU/Linux distributions only.

2 – Install CompizTo install Compiz you have to get the following packages :compiz, compiz-plugins, compiz-plugins-extra, compiz-plugins-main, compiz-plugins-default, compizconfig-settings-manager, compiz-fusion-plugins-main and compiz-fusion-plugins-extra

3 – Set Compiz as window manager3.1 – Test Compiz on your systemTo check if Compiz is correctly installed and if your system can handle it, type the following in the console

Code:

compiz --replace ccp

It will set Compiz temporarily as WM. After a system reboot Openbox will be used again.

3.2 – Set Compiz as WM permanentlyIn the following you will read things like « yourcurrentsession ». These depend on what session you are logged in to. Stephen has done a nice work to give you the options of two gnome2-like panels or just one standard panel in the session manager of UberStudent Aristotle Lightweight Edition.My « Current Session » is UberStudent-TwoPanel.

In order to replace Openbox with Compiz, open your file manager in superuser mode by

Code:

sudo pcmanfm

Navigate to /etc/xdg/lxsession/YourCurrentSession/ and open the desktop.conf with you prefered text editor.Replace the line window_manager=openbox-yourcurrentsession with window-manager=compiz ccp. You can also just outcommand the existing line by adding a # (see picture below). It will make it easier to convert back to Openbox.

Now, go to Preferences → Desktop Session Settings → Advances Options and replace the window manager with "compiz ccp". This will edit the desktop.conf in /home/YourUsername/.config/lxsession/YourCurrentSession/

When you reboot your PC, Compiz should now be used by default.

4 - Enable features/effects in Compiz4.1 – Set the standard functionsTo have a nice desktop experience you have to enable some of the basic features which are enabled by default in Openbox. To enable these, go to Preferences → CompizConfig Settings Manager.In the section « General » check the boxes for KDE Compatibility, Gnome Compatibility, Composite and OpenGLIn « Efects » enable Window DecorationsIn « Window Management » check Place Windows, Move Windows and Resize Windows

4.2 - Prepare to get amazed by some eye candyThere are a mass of useful or fun effects. I myself enabled all the features mentionned in 4.1 plus these : Desktop Cube, Cube Rotation, Screen Capture, Image loading for JPEG, PNG and Text, Compiz Library Toolbox, Correspondance Regex, Session Management, Ring Switcher.

That's it, your computer is now set to use Compiz. Feel free to give feedback and corrections, please.

Author:

Scott C [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 4:42 am ]

Post subject:

Re: How to replace Openbox with Compiz

Firs of all, a Fantastic tutorial! Only a few things though, as of UberStudent 3.0, the steps have changed a little, so I have detailed them below.

You now must disable the default compositor. This can be done by Going to the Applications menu, then navigate to System -> Look and Feel -> Compositing -> Stop All.

You then must navigate to System -> Look and Feel -> Session and Startup, go to the Application Startup tab and uncheck the "Desktop Compositing"

David Baum wrote:

2 – Install CompizTo install Compiz you have to get the following packages :compiz, compiz-plugins, compiz-plugins-extra, compiz-plugins-main, compiz-plugins-default, compizconfig-settings-manager, compiz-fusion-plugins-main and compiz-fusion-plugins-extra

you dont need compiz-pugins-main or compiz-plugins-default.compiz-fusion-plugins-main and compiz-fusion-plugins-extra no longer exist in the repositories.You now need: dconf-tools to keep the default UberStudent icons.

New step:To keep the look and feel of the window decorator icons, you must change dconf to the default UberStudent theme. To do this, open

Code:

dconf-editor

then navigate to org>gnome>desktop>wm>preferences then change the theme to: A+DarkSilver This is Case Sensitive

Close that window and follow the next steps.

David Baum wrote:

3 – Set Compiz as window manager3.1 – Test Compiz on your systemTo check if Compiz is correctly installed and if your system can handle it, type the following in the console

Code:

compiz --replace ccp

It will set Compiz temporarily as WM. After a system reboot Openbox will be used again.

3.2 – Set Compiz as WM permanentlyIn the following you will read things like « yourcurrentsession ». These depend on what session you are logged in to. Stephen has done a nice work to give you the options of two gnome2-like panels or just one standard panel in the session manager of UberStudent Aristotle Lightweight Edition.My « Current Session » is UberStudent-TwoPanel.

In order to replace Openbox with Compiz, open your file manager in superuser mode by

Code:

sudo pcmanfm

Navigate to /etc/xdg/lxsession/YourCurrentSession/ and open the desktop.conf with you prefered text editor.Replace the line window_manager=openbox-yourcurrentsession with window-manager=compiz ccp. You can also just outcommand the existing line by adding a # (see picture below). It will make it easier to convert back to Openbox.

Attachment:

lssession desktop configuration.png

Save the file.

Now, go to Preferences → Desktop Session Settings → Advances Options and replace the window manager with "compiz ccp". This will edit the desktop.conf in /home/YourUsername/.config/lxsession/YourCurrentSession/

None of these need the "ccp" at the end of the --replace string anymore.

BE WARNED! There seems to be a bug (well, many. But the most annoying) in Compiz + this version of XFCE that no longer allows you to wake from sleep! The computer will wake, but the screen will not. it is documented [url]here[/url] and is affecting me too. Although I cannot find this on launchpad, it does exist. Use with caution!

Author:

Scott C [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 12:34 pm ]

Post subject:

Re: How to replace Openbox with Compiz

seeing as i cant find the edit button... I will retract that last comment. I have since purged Compiz, and the bug is still there, so it may not be directly related to Compiz. Apologies for my haste...